Etsy NEWS! Its a bad day to sell Digital, Glitches and Changes and MORE

In this mega update of the Etsy news we talk about
Changes to Etsy filters
Etsy shipping glitches
Digital sellers sales dropping
The Etsy mockup issues again
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[@lilypopelilypopestudioonet5799]

Oh my gosh, ETSY is being ridiculous with digital items. If I just post my art, no one will know its purpose! Thats why a mockup helps show its purpose and use to the customer. Every other marketplace uses mockups for digital art. What is ETSY thinking? It appears those making these decisions have zero understanding. What a mess!

[@SandraRees]

Looks to me like they want rid of digital sellers, it was more than obvious when they changed the look of the platform. 😒

[@hjomnp09mgh]

Most customers will not be able to visualize your art on a wall, it doesn't make sense.

[@barbi111]

Etsy ruining their platform. So sad. Because without good sellers they are nothing.

[@LarkspurandTea]

"Didn't think about you guys once." LOL Good for you.

[@gillianmcmurray]

Thanks Pam. One of my listings got an Etsy pick last month - but it had been in my shop for many months and had no visits, likes or sales 🙄Being an Etsy pick hasn't improved it's stats either. I noticed this week that my favourites have have a revamp too. They now have the price and the shipping cost as well as the estimated delivery time, whether returns are accepted and 'add to basket' and 'buy it now' buttons. I don't know if it is a test though. It would make it easier to buy stuff in our favourites list but they've removed the name of the shop. So if I have multiple items from the same shop that I want to buy I can't tell what they are. You just can't win! 😆

[@LindaM1976]

I switched my shop to digital a few years ago but now I see a huge difference in the algorithm. I only get a few views and visits per day and no sales unless I run ads. I noticed the thing about physical items but they are not matching what the customer wants. For example I sell digi stamps which are digital outlines of cute art that people that make cards print out and color with markers and put on hand made cards. Now if you search for digi stamps you get a physical stamp sort of like an address stamp which is not what a digi stamp is. Also my daughter sells stickers in her shop and used to have at least 3 sales a day and now barely has views or visits. She sells teacher stickers that are a physical item. If Etsy doesn’t want digital sellers or pod then they should just say so and make the appropriate changes instead of playing these games.

[@reibubbles2505]

They are making money out of it. I've been pouring money into it(listing fees, ads), for a year and I sold NOTHING. Not even ONE digital print. I draw my own illustrations, I don't use AI or nothing like that. My designs are cute and receive likes on social platforms, I also dropped the price to the minimum, but I feel nobody found them on Etsy. The only engagement I get on Etsy is from scammers, I have a big collection of scammer messages. And probably there are many others like me who just pay for listings and ads and make low or no sales at all.

[@loriachaddon8497]

I do have to say, those Corgi Butt bookmarks are adorably hilarious.

[@livechilllife]

They are super cute❤

[@fazedfairie]

RE ads turning on: yes, every new listing regardless whether you put "do not advertise this listing" it immediately goes to ads ONLY IF YOU HAVE ADS ON. Every one needs to DOUBLE CHECK ads when listing new item if you do not want it on. Glitch been ongoing since I turned them on in May.

[@curly379]

I don’t know if it’s just a sign of the economy and business has just been bad, but in the last 6 to 8 weeks I’ve had very low views compared to last year and almost no sales. Then all of a sudden in the last 24 hours I’ve got several people favourite my items and made a sale. (I’m an artist with all original paintings) That seems like an algorithm shift to me. Sumpins going on!

[@christina9841]

Thank you, Pam. ❤ Especially for getting back to us about the mockup situation... it is a shame that Etsy has these policies, they don't make sense for many reasons.. but thank you for letting us know so we hopefully don't get banned by accidentally breaking rules. ❤

[@thefablednook]

Thank you so much Pam. We appreciate you!!!

[@DeaShelton]

This could be the new USA laws that are required to give more information about who the owners of companies are. My guess is if they registered as a Corp of LLC they may receive this. I suspect this maybe the issue. The IRS is cracking down on money laundering and more transparency of company ownership is one way. (Former Forensic Accountant) Thanks so much for the updates.

[@traceygurley1]

My husband just came in my studio and I said, "I'm sooo happy Spicy Pam is back!!!" xoxoxoxoxo

[@traceygurley1]

I'm so glad you're back!!!!!!!

[@glendabrown6659]

Thank you for your work looking into Etsy changes.

[@cc7633]

In the states, centrally located states I assume would win out in search and get shown to both East and West coast, but those of us on the coast would likely lose tons of sales by not getting shown in search to the entire country?

[@wendytownrow3950]

I think the same would happen in Australia.

[@janetwilliams7705]

Thank you for your hard work.

[@sparkongifts]

Requiring that a mockup accurately depict an item should be as far as Etsy goes with their rules. Dictating any other details, i.e., what can be displayed as the first image or how and where we produce or obtain product images crosses into a gray area where directing the nitty gritty details of our businesses looks less like a contractor relationship.

[@christina9841]

Especially when the print provider mockup digitally enhances their mockups instead of providing real photos.. I spent tons of money on mockups of real photos of real shirts, some models some flatlays...they were so much more realistic than what I see on any print provider. I'm so grateful though to Pam for letting us know.. as disappointed as I am in Etsy, I don't want to get banned.

[@wokegirl]

I make my own mockups from the mockup provided by the POD site. I wonder if that is going to be an issue.

[@LindaM1976]

I noticed the work around when searching for anything digital is you have to put the word “digital” in front of the search term. Like digital birthday card.

[@wokegirl]

I, for one, appreciate not seeing a bunch of digital items when I search. Now they need to do this for custom. You have to go several pages down to get away from every listing being custom and getting to see actual hand crafted artistry.

[@christinadarque8246]

Etsy’s been stupid & ruining its own platform since the initial IPO. The minutiae of mock-up gate is getting ridiculous. Someone needs to ask Josh wtf about mock-ups and just put it out there for everyone already! 🙄 We need to know! Thanks Pam 👍🏻

[@hjomnp09mgh]

It would be nice if they put the mockup info in a chart too.

[@user-mw3hs1mr9n]

I think their has been another algorithm shift. My sales all year seriously downnby half to the point of taking listings down and sadly selling elsewhere . Now in the last week my sales up for vintage seller at long last . 🙌

[@manuelahamer7607]

I have 4 shops, 2 of them received this email. They did say they will add this to your dashboard when the time comes. I believe it also depends on your turnover. The 2 shops I received this for are quite big, the other 2 I didn't receive this for are quite low volume.

[@ClaudyaRG]

I think it's the begining of end, I sell digital products and these changes are not good for me and my shop. I am searching new places btw 🤔

[@michelleg980]

Same. My digital sells are dead in the water. I made $3 yesterday. just 2 months ago (pre-gift mode release) I was making in between $100-$200 a day with a 7% average daily conversion rate. I’m considering Etsy dead and moving to Creative Fabrica, Design Cuts, and other POD platforms.

[@ClaudyaRG]

@@michelleg980 👍

[@LindaM1976]

I think now the only way for sales is to drive your own traffic

[@wendytownrow3950]

Hi Pam thank you for more in depth information. I do machine embroidery designs. I currently have my first picture as the design on a product. Should I just be providing the actual design as the first picture now and not the stitched design on a product? (glad you had a good break btw!)

[@ssfoster95]

I would like to know why their go to implementation is ON. I got an email saying that beginning July 24th all National Post Holidays will be included in processing times by default. So if we don’t want them include we have to go turn them off. Here is a clue if it isn’t a mandatory thing the default should be OFF.

[@barbarawebb9631]

If Etsy is promoting Find Local, then they should allow a way to deliver (or pickup) without needing to ship it or put in a tracking number. I know that there are risks involved but it is definitely a frustration as a seller.

[@AccidentalCarnivore]

If you go in to complete order and down to shipping, choose other and put in hand delivery in tracking and shipping partner. I do this many times a month and have never had an issue. If, for some reason it doesn't hit as delivered, message the customer to confirm they have received it then reach out to Etsy via chat and they will update to delivered. ❤

[@erinrj]

Dgital seller here! I'm just wondering, I often print out my digital artwork and showcase it as a top down view. I also create my own mockups via canva by using digital art file and then take bits and pieces from canva(premium account) to create my own visual... (like I've seen Starla do🐺) I never use downloadable third party though... could my items still be in question as the first image shown? would love to see a video on that subject in detail if possible🙃

[@juliepeacock3576]

Pam I think it a fraudulent issue with Etsy contacting customers wanting more info from the government who did say they were going to start checking people's bank accounts

[@xzxjessxzx]

Does anyone know where you can find the info about mockups? I can't find it anywhere online. It's so stupid, my store will die if I can't use mockups in the first image.

[@21_f_aus]

Yeah it is stupid, however having the end product in your hands and taking your own photos would benefit you and potential buyers, etsy is making it hard for a lot of people...

[@livechilllife]

I use my production partner mock up, but I remove the white background and put it on other backgrounds. I wonder if that’s a problem?

[@Jessicaboylen]

Good lord Etsy.